Massaging couch



Oct. 10, 1939. w. c. REDFIELD MASSAGING COUCH Filed April 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A} INVENTOR.

William fl/fiifizld ATTORNEY.

Oct. 10, 1939. w. c. REDFIELD 2,175,614

MASSAGING COUCH Filed April 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 h N Z .5

16' [40 a, 440 5.9 4; 41 "viva-fir 1 5 6 INVENTOR.

WL-mm a Rem-QM %-L A? 7/2440- ATTORNEY.

Oct. 10, 1939. w. c. REDFIELD MASSAGING COUCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 10, 1939 35 $8 IGjT-IVMVFrV-I-IVAV-M INVENTOR. WL'ZZz'a/w 6 Eed/Zeld A? WM ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical means for massaging and exercising a part or the whole of the body of a person, including the soles of the feet while the body is in a lying position. More particularly, the invention relates to a combined couch and massaging machine providing a hammock-like pliable apron fixed at its opposite longitudinal ends to a supporting frame to receive the full length of the person in a stationary lying position over and upon a plurality of parallel cushion surfaced rollers, disposed crosswise of the apron. The rollers are each independently yieldingly sustained upon a reciprocable carriage or chassis, adapted to be irregularly depressed by the weight of the body and in a series in a line following the contour outline of the body overlying the rollers. Whereupon, upon reciprocating the carriage or chassis, the rollers administer external manipulation upon the part or parts of the body contacted, thereby affecting the norvous and muscular systems of the human body and the general circulation for therapeutic and other purposes.

Accordingly, it has been the object of the present inventor to provide a machine which will adjust to the contour of the human anatomy and which will impart the salient forms of massage to the body without discomfort. The invention, therefore, involves, in one respect, the provision of a hammock consisting of a sheet of material such as canvas, upon which the person lies and beneath which a roller unit is reciprocated. The person, therefore, actually lies upon the reciprocating roller unit, but with a pliable relatively stationary sheet interposed, the reciprocatory motion is not conveyed to the body lying upon the sheet. The reciprocating roller unit has each roller independently depressible so that they will follow the contour or outline of the part massaged. I

It has been a further object of the inventor to provide a machine of this character in which the rolling action may be varied, that is may be either violent or gentle. Still another object of the inventor has been to provide an arrangement whereby the supporting sheet may be adjusted so as to cause the rolling action of the unit to be more effective on the middle section of the body by lowering the support at the respective ends of the sheet. This results in a condition in which the greater portion of the weight of the body is supported centrally or at the mid-section. Accordingly, the pressure against the rollers is greater and the rolling action firmer.

Another object of the inventor has been to provide a machine of this character which may incorporate a supplemental or auxiliary device, driven from the same source, preferably for massaging the feet while the remainder of the body is being massaged. This phase of the invention includes the provision of a driving means, which is conveniently coupled and uncoupled and a convenient means for moving the foot massaging device to a position out of service or to a position for lengthening the machine.

Other objects and certain advantages will be more fully apparent in a description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the massaging or exercising machine of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine with a portion of the sheet broken away for illustrating the roller unit and its drive.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of the central portion of the machine further illustrating the details of the reciprocating roller unit.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 3 illustrating a roller and its mounting.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the roller unit showing elements inserted for rendering certain of the rollers inoperative.

Figure '7 is a perspective View of one of the elements illustrated in Figure 6 for holding a roller out of service.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side view of a modified machine illustrating an auxiliary device for massaging the feet.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99, Figure 8 detailing the guiding means for the auxiliary massaging device.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the operating gear segment for the transmission to the foot massaging device.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lower cross rail which supports the driving means for the foot massaging device.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the rack and a portion of the connecting link for attachment of the rack to the reciprocating foot massaging unit.

Figure 13 is a sectional View taken on line |3--l3, Figure 8 illustrating the means for holding the foot massaging unit in operative position.

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on line l4|4, Figure 8 showing the pivotal mounting for the unit. 7

Generally described, the machine consists of a frame or couch-like structure. This structure includes, across its top, a supporting sheet somewhat like a hammock. Beneath this hammock, a roller unit is mounted for reciprocation in the frame with the sheet directly supported upon the rollers. The roller unit is reciprocated by power.

Referring to the drawings, the couch frame incorporates corner posts consisting of inwardly facing angle iron pieces l5. These posts are connected by means of longitudinal side rails Hi. There are two vertically spaced rails at each side.

The lower of these serve as the supporting tracks for the roller unit. The posts are spaced or held in assembly across the ends by means of draw bolts I l, traversing tubular spacers I8.

Casters [9 are provided, one at each corner, for facilitating movement of the machine. The tops of the posts, at the foot end of the couch, are furnished with rubber cap elements 20 and the head end is provided with a head rest pad 21, disposed across, upon, and between the posts. This rest may be moved back on hinges 22, as shown in Figure 1.

The canvas sheet or hammock 23 for the frame is suspended at each end upon cross rods, which traverse hems 24 at the respective ends of the sheet. At the head end of the machine, the ends of the cross rod 25 may be disposed in any one of a series of longitudinally spaced notches 26 in the posts. By this means, the tautness of the sheet may be varied. At the foot end the cross rod 2? may be placed in either a lower or upper set of apertures 23 in the posts. Its position is optional with the patient. As stated, if the attachment is lowered, the weight of the body is supported more at the 'midsection. This increases the pressure on the rollers and the massaging becomes more forceful.

The apertures 28 are arranged on an arc, the center of which is approximately at the foot end of the reciprocating unit. Accordingly, when the sheet is lowered at the foot end, its tautness is not varied.

The reciprocating unit, generally indicated at 29, is mounted for reciprocation on a truck or carriage 3D. The lower side rails provide upwardly facing channel flanges 3i along their base sides. Metal strips 32 are disposed in these channels and constitute the tracks upon which the carriage moves. The carriage consists of spaced rows of wheels or rollers 33. The rollers of a respective side are journalled on shafts fixed between longitudinally extending spaced chassis rails 34. These respective side assemblies are joined by means of cross rods 35 riveted to the inside bars of the respective assemblies.

The roller carrying unit 29 provides the upper and lower rails 36, joined by means of corner posts 31. These side units are connected by a lower cross rail at each end and by the roller elements 38 at the upper portions. The unit rests upon the carriage 30 with the rollers in direct contact with the track elements 32.

The exercising or reducing rollers 38, as shown in Figures 3 to 5 inclusive, may be formed of rubber. They are fixed upon an axial sleeve 39 in each instance and supporting shafts project from either end of the sleeve. Each shaft has two bearings 4|, M in the sleeve 39. Between the inner bearings of the respective shafts, spacer sleeve 42 is provided. Sleeves 43 are also provided between the inner and outer bearings for each shaft. Outer spacer sleeves 44 are insorted in the ends of the axial sleeve.

The outer ends of the shafts are flattened vertically and are suspended on cross pins 45 in the upwardly projected bifurcations 46 of the spring mounted support elements 41. The support elements are slidably mounted upon rods 48 vertically disposed between the upper and lower rails. The support elements provide depending coaxial centering sleeves. The spring means are of the coil type and are disposed around the rods and the centering sleeve at their upper ends. At their upper ends, they bear against a shoulder of the support in each instance and, at their lower ends, against a thrust washer 49 on the rod and against the lower rail.

Reciprocation of the unit is accomplished by means of a motor 50, fixed upon a shelf 5|, attached to the rails toward the foot end of the machine. The inwardly projected end of the shelf is suspended upon rods 52 connected to the lower longitudinal rail. The motor shaft carries a crank or eccentric 54. A link 55 has one end attached to the wrist pin 56 of the crank or eccentric and the other end attached to the reciprocating roller unit. Specifically, the attachment to the unit is between a pair of brackets 57 upon a cross pin 58 therebetween. The motor is controlled from a switch 59 located on the upper rail at the head end of the machine.

Now, it will be apparent that the canvas blanket or hammock rests directly upon the rollers 33. Reciprocation of the roller unit rolls the rollers along the under side of the canvas. Since the rollers may depress independently, they follow the contour of the person lying upon the sheet. Thus the rolling action is imparted to the patient without the reciprocatory effect.

If the patient desires a harsher or more violent treatment, alternate rollers may be moved to positions out of operation by inserting sleevelike inserts 60, open at one side for insertion, etween the upper rail of the reciprocating unit and the supporting elements 4'! for the rollers (see Figure 6). Thus, the body is supported on fewer rollers and with greater spaces therebetween. This provides an opportunity for the surplus or fatty portions of the body to depend between the rollers. Thus, the rolling action is more effective.

Now, in Figures 8 to 14 of the drawings, a supplemental device is illustrated. In this arrangement, the motor may be located at the head end of the machine. An additional operating link BI is extended, from the pivotal connection to the reciprocating unit, to the arm of a gear segment device 62 for reciprocating the supplemental roller unit 63. As stated, the supplemental roller unit is for massaging the soles of the feet. Its principle of operation is identical to that of the main roller unit. which acts upon the midsection of the body.

A canvas sheet 64 is disposed vertically across the end of the machine and its hemmed ends are traversed by cross supporting rods 65. This canvas has its support rods fixed in the channelshaped inwardly faced side rails 66 of the unit 63. The lower ends of these rails are pivotally mounted on a shaft 61, fixed between the corner posts of the machine. Specifically, the pivot rod is fixed in angle iron brackets 68 providing inwardly turned flanges, Figure 14. Additional cross rods hold the side rails of this unit 63 together.

One of these cross rods, namely 69, is tubular and includes outwardly extended detents it, providing inclined faces, adapted to engage the angle iron brackets and to thereupon slide across the face of the brackets and drop into apertures. These ledges or detents are pulled out of holding position against the action of a spring ll, disposed between them, by means of laterally projected fingers 12. In the release operation, the operator presses the fingers together. He is then able to lower or swing the unit downwardly to a horizontal position, out of massaging service but effective for extending the length of the machine. At this position the unit is supported on legs 13 pivoted on the upper or outer end of the unit.

The auxiliary roller unit 63 is constructed Somewhat after the manner of the main roller unit. It includes inwardly faced channels, it disposed in the channels of the supporting frame. A pair of cross rods 15 are disposed between these side rails and carry rollers '45 on their extreme ends. The rollers are disposed for rolling contact with the side flanges of the auxiliary frame members. The massaging rollers Ti are identical to those previously described. They are mounted in the same manner, except that their action is horizontal and the mounting rods 38 are fixed between the flanges of the side channel members 14.

The gear segment 52 is mounted for rocking motion on a shaft '59, fixed across an opening 813 in the inner flange of an upwardly facing channel cross member at the base of the post (see Figure 11). Adjacent this opening and on the inner face of the outer flange, a vertically disposed guide channel 85 is provided. A rack bar 82 is mounted for reciprocation in this channel and is engaged by the gear segment. A detachable coupling link 83 connects the rack to the upper cross rod 15 of the foot massage unit 63. The upper end 8 of the link is hooked around the shaft; its middle section bears against the lower shaft; and its lower end is turned outwardly to provide a hook 35 engaged in a cross groove 85 of the rack bar. Thus, when the unit is swung to inoperative position, the hook portion at the lower end of the link simply swings out of regis try with the groove and the transmission is uncoupled.

The relatively stationary pliable apron being disposed between the person and the rollers avoids transporting the person while lying upon the apron during the shuttling travel of the rollers. The apron also prevents the person from coming in direct contact with the rollers and for sanitary purposes is readily removable or replaceable for laundering as well as for adjusting the same upon the frame to regulate its tautness.

The shuttling speed of the rollers can be increased or decreased which materially alters the jmildness or severity of the treatment. The change of speed can be effected in various ways as by a rheostat control of the motor or through the employment of a conventional type of speed variator device, which, however, is auxiliary to and does not form a part of the present inventionl Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for massaging the human body, a rectangular frame and a supporting sheet constituting a couch structure, a reciprocating roller unit, means for guiding the roller unit longitudinally-of the frame, means for reciprocating the unit, said unit consisting of a multiplicity of longitudinally arranged cross rollers, said rollers formed of rubber, means yieldably supporting the rollers whereby the rollers may be depressed to follow the contour of the part being massaged, means for attaching the sheet of flexible material at the respective ends of the couch-like structure, said attaching means at the foot end being adjustable as to height whereby the pressure of the body against the roller unit may be varied.

2. A massaging couch comprising a framework, a supporting sheet disposed across the top thereof, a reciprocating roller unit for supporting the central portion of the sheet, a reciprocating roller unit disposed vertically at the foot end of the couch for massaging the feet, and means for reciprocating said units, said means including a transmission connection for simultaneously actuating the units.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a rectangular frame, a supporting sheet, a roller unitfor supporting the central portion of the sheet, means for reciprocating said roller unit longitudinally of the frame, a sheet of flexible material disposed vertically upwardly from the foot end of the machine and adapted to be engaged by the feet, a plurality of depressible rollers engaging the outer face of said vertical sheet of material, means for reciprocating said rollers, said vertical sheet of material and last named rollers being adjustable as a unit from vertical position to horizontal position, and means for supporting said vertical sheet of material and I last named rollers in horizontal position whereby a person of unusual height may rest his feet upon said horizontally extended unit.

4. A massaging couch comprising a frame, a supporting sheet disposed across the top thereof, a reciprocating roller unit for supporting the central portion of the sheet, a vertical sheet at the foot end of the frame, a reciprocating roller unit disposed vertically behind the vertical sheet at the foot end of the couch for massaging the feet, and means for reciprocating said units.

5. A massaging device, comprising, a frame, a pliable web apron suspendingly connected at its opposite ends to said frame for receiving a person in a lying position, a carriage transportably mounted on said frame, a plurality of rollers adjacently disposed cross-wise of the apron and therebeneath, each having its opposite ends journalled respectively in a yieldingly mounted bearing sustained on said carriage for urging the roller in contact with the under side of said apron and adapting the roller to be depressed by the weight of the person lying on the apron, with the rollers of the series in a line conforming to the outline of the portion of the person bearing upon the rollers, a carriage reciprocating transversely to said apron carrying a plurality of yieldingly mounted rollers for massaging the soles of the feet of the person lying on said apron, and power means for reciprocating said carriages.

6. A massaging device, comprising, a frame, a pliable web having its opposite longitudinal ends fixed to the frame for suspendingly supporting the same and to receive a person in a recumbent position longitudinally thereof, a carriage transportably mounted on said frame and reciprocable longitudinally of and beneath the web, and a plurality of rollers arranged in parallelism crosswise of and beneath the web, the rollers each at their opposite ends journalled in resiliently mounted bearings supported on said frame adapting each roller to independently yield under the weight of the person on said web, and relatively coordinately to the contour of the body of the person engaging upon the rollers, whereby a reciprocating traverse of the rollers effected by the motion of the carriage imparts a vibratory massaging action to the body of the person.

WILLIAM C. REDFIELD. 

